A world-first Australian medical therapy that uses stem cells to treat degenerative spinal disease has been approved for testing on patients in the US.

Its preliminary animal trials were so promising that the US Food and Drug Administration allowed it to skip the small phase-one human safety trial and move straight into a larger phase-two trial.

Mesoblast chief scientific adviser Professor Silviu Itescu said the problem of rejection was avoided because the rare form of adult stem cells, which the company has patented, were not recognised by the immune system.

The company is also involved in pilot trials in Australia using adult stem cells to long bone fractures and heart disease, although those treatments involve the patient’s own stem cells.

Source: Australian Associated Press - Dec. 20, 2006